Former Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning elected to College Football Hall of Fame

ATLANTA — Former Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame on Monday morning.

Manning helped lead the Volunteers to the 1997 Southeastern Conference championship, going 39-6 in four seasons, and passing for 11,201 yards and 89 touchdowns.

Manning, 40, was the runner-up to Charles Woodson for the 1997 Heisman Trophy and will join his father Archie in the Hall, which is in Atlanta.

Manning played 13 seasons in Indianapolis, leading the Colts to the playoffs 11 times and the Super Bowl XLI title against the Chicago Bears. Indianapolis also lost to the New Orleans Saints in Super Bowl XLIV.

Manning came to the Broncos in 2012 after sitting out the 2011 season because of four neck surgeries, then was released by the Colts before free agency.

He signed a five-year, $96 million contract, and led the Broncos to a 45-12 record in four seasons as the starting quarterback, four AFC West titles, four first-round playoff byes and two Super Bowls, including a 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers on Feb. 7.

Manning is among 10 players and three coaches who will be enshrined into the Hall on Dec. 5.

The coaches going in are Danny Ford (Clemson from 1978-89 and Arkansas from 1993-97); Larry Kehres (Mountain Union from 1986-2012) and Steve Spurrier (Duke from 1987-89, Florida from 1990-2001 and South Carolina from 2005-15).

“We are extremely proud to announce the 2017 College Football Hall of Fame Class,” said Archie Manning, NFF Chairman and a 1989 College Football Hall of Famer from Mississippi.

“Each of these men has established himself among the absolute best to have ever played or coached the game, and we look forward to immortalizing their incredible accomplishments,” said Archie Manning, chairman of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.